


A New Home

by Victorious56



Series: Varin & Challance [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Domestic, Established Relationship, Family, M/M, rated for one swear and mild bedroom shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:14:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27696784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Victorious56/pseuds/Victorious56
Summary: The war has been left behind, the personal difficulties surmounted. It's time for Qrow and Clover to finish preparing their new home on Patch, and Tai is happy to help where he can.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: Varin & Challance [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2030566
Comments: 7
Kudos: 18





	A New Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [StoryWeaverKirea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoryWeaverKirea/gifts).



> This is set about three years after the end of the war. Varin is almost two years old here.
> 
> It's a birthday present for dear Chloe on discord - I hope you have/had a wonderful day ♡♡

The journey from Atlas had been long, tiring, and uncomfortable. Varin, it turned out, _really_ didn't enjoy flying. He said his ears hurt— at least, he kept pulling at his ears and grizzling.

Qrow wondered how long it took children to learn to talk in such a way an adult could understand them. Clover cuddled their son with one arm, and Qrow with the other, and practiced a breathing technique to ensure they would arrive in Vale with at least one of their party still sane.

❖

"It's the change in air pressure," Tai explained, as they walked towards his car. "It causes earache. Fancy you not knowing that, Qrow." He smirked at Qrow as he punched him lightly on the arm. "Hi Clover, good to see you again. How's married life?"

"Pretty good, thanks, Tai. A bit tiring now we've got Varin, but you know all about that."

Tai rolled his eyes. "You bet, although that was a _long_ time ago. And birdbrain here has the knowledge too, y'know? Don't let him fob you off, pleading ignorance. He was good with my two, when they were little."

Qrow glared at him. "You never said so at the time, Tai. In fact, as I recall you spent most of the time telling me off for inappropriate language, and shit like that."

"Qrow!" Clover and Tai chorused, as Clover indicated Varin, held in his arms.

"Pfft, he's asleep, don't fuss. Kids like a chilled-out parent, anyway."

"When they're older, yeah. Not when they're not even two years old." Tai heaved a sigh. "Ever wonder if you've made a mistake, Clover?"

Clover's face softened as he looked at Qrow. "Never."

Tai smiled at them as he got his keys out. "Load your luggage in the boot, Qrow. Then we can get going."

Clover sat in the back with Varin, who stayed asleep the whole way. He watched Qrow as his husband chatted with Tai, their conversation mainly an exchange of insults, barbed comments, and reminiscences. Clover smiled to himself. They'd had some difficult times since the war had ended, and seeing Qrow relaxed like this was something he could look at all day.

Tai's eyes met Clover's in the rear view mirror. "Handsome guy still, isn't he?"

Clover blushed. Qrow smirked. Tai grinned.

❖

Qrow stood by the car and stared at Tai's house. It had barely changed since the days when his team were still... a team. He could almost hear the laughter, and the shouting...

Clover lifted Varin out, and walked around to where Qrow was leaning against the car. He put his spare arm about Qrow's shoulders.

"You okay, birdy?"

Qrow twisted his head around and kissed Clover on the cheek.

"Yeah, it's just... you know."

Clover hugged him. "I do."

Varin squirmed in Clover's arms and tried to reach around both their necks, hugging as best he could. He kissed Clover, and reached towards Qrow.

"Kiss kiss."

Qrow leaned over, allowing his son to press a wet kiss to his cheek.

Tai struggled past, laden with bags. "It's okay, I can cope," he grumbled as he pushed open the front gate with his foot.

"Oh, sorry Tai, we should be doing this." Clover set the toddler on his feet, but he immediately clamoured to be picked up again. "He's a bit shy, Qrow. You take him, I'll get the rest of our stuff."

"Come on, pipsqueak." Qrow hefted Varin onto his hip and followed Tai into the house.

❖

A few days later, and any shyness Varin had was a distant memory. Tai delighted in having a child in his house once more, and as he and Varin enjoyed yet another noisy game of tag, Clover smiled.

"I was worried at first he'd take a while to settle in, but Tai's a natural, isn't he?"

"He's a natural idiot."

"C'mon, Qrow, don't say that. He and Varin are getting on famously."

"My point exactly, Cloves. Tai's found his mental equal."

Clover laughed. "You and him, Tai, I mean... you have a special relationship, don't you?"

"Do we?" Qrow helped himself to another cookie. "I've known him for ages. More than half my life... Gods, what a thought."

"Did you ever... I mean, before he married..." Clover's cheeks coloured. "Sorry, I shouldn't ask."

"Nah, you're good. We didn't have a thing, as such. We may have flirted a bit, I guess... he was beautiful when we were young. I may have been a bit smitten... but his eyes were on Raven, not me."

Clover watched his husband closely, as he said hesitantly, "Qrow, are you happy with how things have turned out for you?"

A piece of Qrow's cookie fell into his tea, as he stared at Clover. "That's an odd question... I couldn't be happier, surely you know that. I love you, we have a son, and I love him... I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, with anyone else. I know we've had some rough patches, but... come on, Clover. You know you mean everything to me." Qrow's face was pink as he slipped from the stool to fetch a spoon. He fished out the piece of soggy cookie and ate it.

Clover stood up, standing behind Qrow and sliding his arms around his waist..

"Thank you."

"Hey, any time, sunbeam." Qrow dropped the spoon on the counter, turning to draw Clover closer. "That's what those vows were all about, right?"

"Right." Clover's tongue traced a line over Qrow's warm lips, pressing inwards. "Mmm, cookie..." he murmured, as Qrow's hands dropped to his waist, fingers teasing under the edge of his joggers.

A loud cough sounded from the doorway of the kitchen.

"I think someone's nappy needs changing. And I'm happy to pass that job on to one of you guys."

Clover stepped back quickly, blushing hard. Qrow's hand was still caught in his clothes, and the waistband stretched awkwardly before Qrow released it to ping back against his body. Qrow grinned.

"I'll do it, Cloves. Pretty sure it's my turn, anyway." He pushed past Tai, whispering, "Don't embarrass him _too_ much. A little bit is fine, though." Tai grinned at Clover as Qrow left the room.

"Cheeky bastard, isn't he?"

Clover nodded, his face slowly returning to its usual colour. "It's one of the things I love about him," he said simply.

❖

Later that week, Tai was happy to mind Varin for longer periods, giving his parents the opportunity to begin work on their new home.

  


Qrow and Clover had found a small cottage not far from Tai's. It backed onto the edge of a lake, which had placed it above every other possible home they had seen, as far as Clover was concerned.

"This is my dream, Qrow! To live near water, get a little boat, do a little fishing..." Clover tailed off at Qrow's less than impressed face.

"Won't it be a bit dangerous? For Varin, so close to the water?"

Clover's expression became sheepish. "Sorry, I got a bit carried away... I hadn't thought of that."

"Pfft, lightweight parent that you are. Lucky one of us has the brain cell."

Clover's face brightened. "But no, it'll be okay! I can fence in the back, make it safe... it'll be fine."

"So, we can add woodwork to your ever-growing list of abilities." Qrow drew his husband into a close hug. "Is there _anything_ you can't do?"

"If there is, I haven't found it yet." Clover's grin became a yelp as Qrow flicked him on the nose.

"Humility, that's one thing you're no good at." He ducked away as Clover made a grab for him.

They bought the house by the lake.

  


The garden had been made safe, and some essential repairs to the house itself were complete. There would be much more to do, and Clover was keen to get started. He'd found a woodworking bench and some tools in a rather dilapidated shed in one corner of the garden, and had spent what Qrow considered an unnecessary amount of time tidying it up. Now Clover was enthused with the opportunity to fix up the house wherever it needed it, and Qrow had to smile at his husband's enjoyment of the tasks he set himself.

For now, they had moved on to decorating, and were keen to get the house habitable as soon as possible. Summer was at its height, and they wanted to be settled before autumn was too far advanced.

"I can't wait until we're actually living here, and it's a proper home." Qrow put the kettle on to make tea, as he felt they'd earned a break.

"I know, and once we've finished Varin's room, we can move in."

They drank their tea, enjoying the somewhat misshapen cookies which Tai had baked.

"These are good, though Summer's were better." Qrow gazed out of the kitchen window, his thoughts far away.

Clover put his mug down, and moved to slip his arms about Qrow's waist. He leaned over Qrow's shoulder, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I'm sorry, Qrow."

Qrow rested his head back against Clover. "Yeah, me too." His voice was soft.

Clover reached round and took Qrow's mug from him, placing it on the counter. He turned Qrow around, standing so close that their noses rubbed together.

"Did you know," Clover said, "in some parts of Remnant, rubbing noses is a bit like kissing."

"Is it now?" Qrow rubbed his nose slowly against Clover's, a delicate touch that set the younger man's skin tingling.

"Mmm, I can see why." He returned the caress, the fingertips of one hand tracing a line slowly down the side of Qrow's face. "Did I mention, I love you, Qrow?"

Qrow's finger was running along the edge of Clover's lower lip, their faces so close he could feel the heat of Clover's breath on his skin. "You just did," Qrow whispered. "But I loved you first."

"If I'd known it was a race—"

"I'd still have won. That's okay, though; someone has to be second. But you're first in my heart." Qrow's finger stopped moving. "Gods, I'm sorry, did I actually say that?"

"Now we get to it. The real Qrow Branwen is revealed. The sappiest man alive." Clover's lips brushed Qrow's cheek, their mouths meeting in a languid kiss. He pulled Qrow a little closer.

"We've got a bed upstairs, you know."

"Clover, we're supposed to be painting." Qrow's hand slid underneath Clover's t-shirt, fingers running over the firm muscles up to his chest, pinching a nipple and making the other man catch his breath.

"That's not painting, Qrow." Clover's voice had a rough edge to it as his hands slid down over Qrow's butt, almost lifting him off the floor.

"Nor is that. Come on Cloves, we've got time." He pulled away, grabbing Clover's hand and heading for the stairs.

  


The main bedroom had been decorated plainly, the bed with its bare mattress waiting for them. Qrow kicked off his shoes and fell back on the bed with one movement; Clover stumbled as he tried to remove his own shoes, falling onto Qrow in the process. Qrow huffed in protest, wriggling back to make more room. Clover slotted one leg between Qrow's, pressing urgently against him as he pushed up the older man's t-shirt.

"It's nice not to have to keep an ear open for a small child," murmured Qrow, his fingers threading through Clover's hair.

"Mmm," was Clover's only response. He wanted to make the most of the opportunity to focus on Qrow, and only Qrow. Clover loved his son dearly, but he loved his husband too, and the taste of Qrow was just so—

"Cloves." Qrow nudged Clover's head away from his abdomen. "Let me get rid of these."

"Good idea." Clover sat back, dragging Qrow's sweatpants and boxers off in one pull. "That's better."

"You too, sunbeam." Qrow was busy removing his t-shirt, and in moments they lay side by side, the sun's rays slanting through the window across tanned and pale skin.

Clover propped himself up on one elbow, cupping Qrow's face in his other hand.

"You're so dear to me, Qrow. I treasure every day with you, because... things might have turned out so differently."

Qrow rested one finger on his lips. "Yeah, but they didn't. We got through it, and this is our reality now. Let's make the most of it."

Clover frowned. "I just realised... we don't have any lube."

Qrow smirked. "You old romantic. We'll have to manage without, then." He pushed Clover onto his back, swinging over one long leg to straddle his husband. "There's more than one way to do this, I believe."

Clover pulled him close, his mouth closing over Qrow's in a kiss full of all the love they had nurtured between them over the years. As Qrow's fingers began a lazy exploration of his chest, Clover thanked any deity that cared to listen. Their lives could have been so different, but they'd reached a safe place, with a son and a home of their own.

The rough chafing of a nipple pulled Clover's thoughts back to the present. He hummed contentedly against Qrow's mouth, the low sound edging into a groan as Qrow's hand moved downwards. Clover ran his hands down Qrow's back, cupping the lean buttocks and pulling him even closer. He opened his eyes, to see Qrow smiling at him.

"I love you, former soldier boy," whispered Qrow.

"I loved you first." Clover smiled. He rolled Qrow onto his back. "My turn now."

❖

"How did it go in the bedroom?" Tai was holding Varin, who reached out his arms to his parents as they let themselves in at the kitchen door.

Qrow grinned, glancing at Clover who was trying to hide his blushes behind Qrow's back.

"Good, we actually got more done than we'd expected to." He took Varin into his arms, kissing him on the cheek and receiving a slobbery kiss in return.

Tai looked from Qrow to Clover and back again.

"Oh, like that, was it?" He laughed loudly. "Well, why not? Now you've worked up an appetite, how about some food?"

Clover collapsed with a coughing fit, finally joining in with the laughter of the other two men. Qrow jiggled Varin in his arms, as he twirled about the kitchen.

"Funny Papa! Funny Daddy!"

They stopped laughing to stare at the toddler, whose brow creased at the sudden silence.

"That's the first time he's said our names." Qrow's voice held a note of pride.

Clover put his arms about his husband and son.

"Funny Varin," he smiled, tickling the small boy. Varin laughed, his parents joining in.

Tai folded his arms, considering them fondly. _Qrow has finally found his true home._ Sniffing loudly, he rubbed his face and coughed.

"Come on then, you three. Let's eat."

**Author's Note:**

> Friendly comments always appreciated, thank you.


End file.
